Click to play videoNew Delhi: After a delay of over two years, the 53rd National Film Awards were finally presented at the Vigyan Bhavan in the capital on Friday in a ceremony officiated by President of India Prathibha Patil.
And the winner of the evening was Rang De Basanti. The film not only won the Best Popular Film award but also took home awards for Best Audiography, Best Editing and Best Male Playback Singer award.
Filmmaker Rakesh Omprakash and producer Ronnie Screwvala were both present to receive the honours.
“The movie has become bigger than all of us. I guess somewhere it’s touched the deep cord of the nation and entered the subconscious,” said Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia was awarded the National Award for best direction of Pazania while the film's lead actress, Sarika walked away with the best actress trophy.
Meanwhile, Buddhadeb Dasgupta's Bengali film, Kaalpurush was named the best feature film. Amitabh Bachchan who bagged the best actor trophy for the same film, was present with son Abhishek and daughter Shweta in tow.
“I am very proud of my father and very happy to be here,” said Abhishek.
Also present for the ceremony were Pradeep Sarkar and Vishal Bhardwaj. Sarkar took the podium to the Indira Gandhi Award for the Best First Film of a Director for Parineeta and Bharadwaj's Blue Umbrella won him best children's film.
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